Japan’s legislative body approved a bill on Wednesday that sanctions medical products containing cannabis-derived substances, aiming to close loopholes in existing regulations that forbid cannabis while legalizing its medicinal applications.
Presently, cannabis-based drugs are solely authorized for clinical trials in Japan. However, advocacy groups representing patients have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived medicines like cannabidiol (CBD), already been endorsed for treating conditions like severe epilepsy in Europe and the United States.
The amended laws, effective within a year of enactment, categorize cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive compound present in the plant, as narcotics, subject to regulation.
Despite Japan’s existing prohibition on marijuana possession and cultivation, the country is now extending this ban to include its usage, punishable by a maximum prison term of seven years for offenders.
Formerly, Japan didn’t penalize cannabis use, partly to safeguard farmers inadvertently exposed to its substances while cultivating it for hemp-related products. However, amid rising concerns about drug abuse among young people, the country has reversed its stance.
The revised regulations will introduce two types of licenses for cannabis cultivation: one for medicinal purposes and another for different uses, such as hemp production.
The legal alterations related to cannabis cultivation are slated to take effect two years after their announcement.
Several countries have legalized cannabis to varying extents. Some of these countries include:
- Canada: Legalized cannabis for recreational and medicinal use nationwide in October 2018.
- Uruguay: Became the first country to fully legalize cannabis in 2013.
- Some states in the United States: States like Colorado, California, Washington, Oregon, and others have legalized cannabis for both recreational and medical use, although its status varies by state.
- Portugal: While not fully legalized, Portugal has decriminalized the possession and use of all drugs, including cannabis, since 2001.
- Netherlands: Cannabis is decriminalized for personal use and available for purchase in designated “coffee shops” but remains illegal to cultivate or distribute.
- Spain: Personal cultivation and consumption of cannabis are allowed in private spaces.
